One simple choice
by Kuro Kin'youbi
Summary: [Oneshot] The kiss in the Wasteland left two very confused people. They meet up unexpectedly one stormy day. Time and people all mixed up. Praxis isn't dead! [Jak & Ashelin]


One simple choice  
By Kuro Kin'youbi

Disclaimer: I don't own Naughty Dog. I don't own Jak and Daxter, Jak 2 or Jak 3. That's too bad, though...

Thanks to Jade for helping me write this! I never could have posted this without her!

* * *

Ashelin left the Palace as soon as she could. She had been putting up with her father's ways - his evil ways - since he had become Baron of the city. She was the leader of his wrongdoing army, by force, and now she wanted to get out. But, to Baron Praxis, to "get out" was to die. Because leaving his army was like defying him. 

Ashelin wandered the city. She was looking for a reason to live on. The city was in many ways, ruined, and her father wasn't making it any better. People that were once her friends looked at her as either "The Baron's daughter.", or "That KG girl.", and she had no other life. Jak and Daxter had recently returned from the Wasteland as world heroes. And Jak had revealed that he was Mar, the founder of Haven City, and was now important. Ashelin hadn't seen him much since... that kiss, and she was worried. Daxter was the only other one that knew, and when drunk, had a loose tongue. Torn and Keira hadn't found out yet. Ashelin hoped that they didn't. For the best.

She stopped by the entrance to South Town. As she looked out over the horizon she saw storm clouds coming in from the Wasteland. She chuckled to herself.

"Storms in the Wasteland? Sand Storms, yeah. But rain?"

She walked up to the edge. She loved being by the waterfront. And she loved it even more this time because the whole area seemed to have been deserted. She sat cross-legged at the edge and sighed. It didn't feel right. She turned slowly, and looked over her shoulder. She could see his shadow first, then him. Jak. She got up onto her feet and looked at him.

"I knew I'd find you here." He said.

She tilted her head to the side and nodded. "Yeah, I guess so."

There was a silence between the two. Ashelin knew she had to get what was on her mind out.

"Jak..." She began. "About that kiss... I..."

He stepped up to her, and looked at her. "What?" He asked.

"I don't know... if we can... you know..."

Jak looked confused. Her took her hands in his.

"Ashelin. You know... you shouldn't deny what's in your heart."

Ashelin laughed, sounding almost bitter. "I didn't know you were one to be so sentimental, Jak."

Jak smirked. "We'll see how sentimental I can be."

Jak pushed his body against Ashelin's, his fingers entwining with hers. He lowered his head and kissed her gently. Ashelin's eyes grew wide, but she recovered from the shock of their second kiss and closed her eyes, leaning into Jak further.

Jak pressed his lips harder into Ashelin's soft ones and she moaned lightly. They vaguely felt rain begin to fall on them and Jak ran his tongue over Ashelin's bottom lip. She shivered as Jak's hands moved up her arms and she complied with his silent request and parted her lips.

It was like flying, that kiss. All she could feel was his arms around her and his tongue exploring her mouth. Without breaking the kiss, Jak backed her up so they were enclosed in the shadows of the buildings around them. Jak proceeded to push Ashelin up against the nearest wall.

Ashelin expected to feel her head hit the wall with the rest of her body, but instead she felt Jak's hand. Something about that tiny gesture sparked something inside of her. She moved her hands from Jak's waist and threw them around his neck, kissing him deeper and harder. Her hands moved to cup his face and she pulled away for a much-needed breath, never moving her hands.

They stared into each others eyes long after their kiss was over; never moving, hardly breathing. Ashelin's eyes wandered over Jak's shoulder and she noticed it was pouring now. "Jak... it's raining." She said, more absent-mindedly then anything. Jak laughed softly. "So I've noticed." Ashelin frowned suddenly and broke the atmosphere and stepping out of Jak's embrace.

"What?" He asked.

Ashelin frowned. The excitement was over, and they were still in the real world.

"We shouldn't." She said. "There are so many people to consider."

Jak realized her point, and nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

She looked away and smiled. "Although..."

Jak slung his arm around her shoulder. "Come on. We'd better get back. Your father'll be looking for you."

She grimaced at the mere thought. "Torn will want you for another mission."

Jak nodded, and Ashelin squeezed out oh his embrace again. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." Jak said, disappointment in his voice. "See ya."

Jak watched her round the corner. Then she was gone. He hated to see her leave like that.

* * *

And Ashelin hated to just leave like that. Her father wouldn't be looking for her; she just didn't want to go too far with Jak. 

"What am I thinking?" Ashelin demanded angrily to herself. "I can't let my stupid emotions get in the way of my work!"

She arrived in due time, at the Palace. Her father was having a mental fit.

"What's your problem?" She asked, taking off her coat and chucking it on the arm of the chair she was standing by.

He turned around and glared at her. "What is my problem? MY PROBLEM is you! YOU can't even turn up for your duties!"

Ashelin froze. She had completely forgotten.

"I'm sorry." She said.

He grunted, and walked towards the door. "Don't forget again, or I'll have your head!"

Ashelin nodded. "I won't forget."

Praxis stopped, then poked his head back in the door. "What?" Ashelin asked.

"I'm after that Dark Eco Freak." He sneered.

"What?" Ashelin asked, horrified. "Why?"

"Because he has stolen 2 years worth of Haven City's Eco supply, and we are running out. I want it back!"

Ashelin looked at her father for a moment. "…You pumped the Eco into him, remember?"

"I STILL WANT IT BACK!" He roared. "I will kill him if I have to."

Ashelin rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

Praxis smirked. "And by the way, FIX YOUR BLOUSE! There's a button missing!"

Ashelin looked down at her blouse just as Praxis stormed out. Sure enough, a button was gone. She covered herself up and rushed to her room to change.

* * *

Torn yelled in anger as he read the paper. He scrunched it up into a messy ball and threw it towards the door, just as Jak walked in. He narrowly missed it. 

"What's the matter?" Jak asked.

"We're on the Radar." Torn growled. "The Baron wants us both dead. You, because you are the rightful ruler of Haven, me, because I 'abandoned him in his time of dire need', as it says here."

"Wow. Messy." Jak said.

Torn nodded. He walked over to his 'Wall of Maps', as he called it, and looked at it. Just as that happened, though, there was a knock on the door.

"I'll get it." Jak said.

Torn shrugged, and Jak turned away. He walked up the narrow hallway to the door and opened it. He came face to face with a gun, and the holder of that gun was…

"Ashelin?" Jak asked. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't blast your head off?" She demanded.

Jak saw in her eyes a hatred that he had never seen before. He was alarmed, and scared. But then, as he watched her hold the gun to his head, Jak noticed how Ashelin was struggling. The dramatic change in the look in her eyes, and how her arm was shaking.

"Answer me!" She demanded.

Jak turned around. He closed the door to the Underground, and faced Ashelin again. With one simple hand movement he swiped the gun out of her hand and it clattered on the ground.

He made a firm grasp on her shoulders and pushed her back. She opened her mouth to make a possible nasty comment but he kissed her.

"Even if you do kill me," He said, pulling back. "It won't change anything. It won't change what happened in South Town, either, so there isn't much point."

Ashelin was silent. She knew what to say, what her father wanted her to say, but was it really what she wanted to say?

Ashelin backed up against the wall. She watched Jak look at her, so she said: "Jak, I… I mean, what happened in South Town… it was really nice, but we can't be together! My father is hunting you and he wants me to kill you! Not that I ever would, and he also wants Torn dead for leaving the KG!"

Jak nodded. All these things he knew. He held up a hand when she wanted to speak again.

"Look, don't worry about it, alright? I've heard your side of the story: Praxis wants me dead because I'm the rightful ruler. You had better stay away from me for a few days."

He turned around and walked back into the Underground.

Ashelin watched the door close. Her eyes welled up as she realised what she had done – she had driven away the only person she knew she would care about, ever.

She knelt down by the gun and picked it up. Once again, her life was filled with dread. No reason to go on. She smiled a smile she saved for when she really needed it.

"I'll continue on." She said. "I won't be with Jak, I won't be with Torn, and for now I'll help out more in the KG. Not everyone has a partner, so why should it be any different for me?"

She left the Slums, and made for the Palace. Her only refuge. But, as they say, Every cloud has a silver lining.

* * *

That was one of the endings. There is a different ending. Let me know what you think, please! 


End file.
